TORTOLA—With the formalities of the league and playoff series behind after Young Talent blasted 13-time champs Blue Wings, 21-10, during Sunday’s night’s fourth game of the best of five series in the Arnold “Foxy” Barronville softball league, the stage is set for the league championships series to begin with the Hurricanes.
Both teams met last year, but no men’s champion was crowned as several Young Talent’s players went off to college and fans have been hungry for a rematch, as evidenced by the large numbers who left the park long after midnight.
Young Talent put the game away after batting around in the second and third for seven and six runs respectively, to back coach Terry “Chino” Chinnery, who came on to pitch in a relief role, as ace hurler Allen “Woodrow” Smith—who later relieved Chinnery—had been nursing a sore hand after being hit by an errant pitch in game three.
“The Blue Wings are a tough team, but what worked out really good, was the fact that they had never seen me before,” Chinnery explained. “They didn’t know that I pitch, but in the last few innings, they caught up to me.”
Blue Wings’ manager Rufus “Sleepy” Malone, said Young Talent is a strong team and they did not have the pitching to match up with them after ace hurler Raymond “Mahasa” Mercer was hurt in their last games. “We knew we would score a few runs, but, tonight, we did not have strong enough pitching to keep them close enough, and our defense didn’t play 100%,” he noted. “They deserve it. They are a nice, young strong team, and I think it will be a good series with the Hurricanes.”
Dwight Brookes and Nateshon Thomas were 3-for-4 and 3-for-5 respectively as the top hitters. Brookes scored three times and drive in one, while Thomas scored twice and had two runs batted in.
The women’s championship was decided when the Crushers overpowered the Elmore Stoutt High School Rams, 18-9, with an eight run fourth and a four run seventh. They advance to meet the Lady Braves. Felica “Big Train” Wattley took the win and Kenisha Powell was tagged with the loss.
Gertrude Thomas had a solo homer as part of a 3-for-3 game, scored twice and had 4 RBIs, as the Crushers’ top hitter. Powell went 2-for-3, scored once and drove in two. Denecia Hodge had two hits in four at bats and one run batted in.
